Favorite (and Least Favorite) Christmas Songs

Right after Thanksgiving, or in some cases such as in stores and on overzealous radio stations, you begin to hear Christmas music fill the air. For each of us who celebrate the season, we have our favorite songs and we likely have some that we could do without as well. These are a few of the tunes I adore along with a couple I wouldn't mind tossing out of my musical lexicon.

Favorite Traditional Song (Upbeat)

For me this is an easy one, "Joy to the World" is the one for sure. The fast-pace and uplifting music really do bring out a sense of joy. And at the very base of it, that is supposed to be one of the key meanings of Christmas. Every time I hear it I feel this sense of anticipation and wonder much like that of a child on Christmas morning. The beat, the words, the whole combination of elements makes this song irreplaceable.

Favorite Traditional Song (Somber)

I'd have to go with "Silent Night" as my top in this category. The passion and simple elegance of this song is timeless and beautiful. But somehow, it is simple enough for most people to sing at least somewhat well. I find myself humming it frequently in December. It's really no surprise that it is generally one of the staples of any Christmas service in Christian tradition. The mood it sets is powerful to a degree that is hard to explain.

Favorite Non-Traditional Song

The lead singer of the 90's and early 2000's band Matchbox 20 is Rob Thomas. He is arguably one of the better singer-songwriters of his generation. In 2002 he came out with a holiday-themed treasure called "A New York City Christmas." The lyrics are captivating and the notion of brotherhood and kindness is impactful. I also like the fact that New York can be switched out for pretty much any other medium to large sized city in the world with a few tweaks. I did this myself for "A Greater Pittsburgh Christmas" a few years ago.

Favorite Song That Makes Me Cry Like a Baby

While the guy only has two major hits to my recollection, some might call him the master tear-jerker of country music. I'm referring to artist Bob Carlisle. If you have yet to hear his song "Christmas Shoes," don't look it up without having tissues by your side. It's beautiful and conveys the most innocent and fundamental notion of love you can imagine but the situation involving a child's dying mother is really sad. Well worth a listen but be prepared to ball your eyes out.

Favorite Off-The-Wall Song

There are so many good ones in this category. The "OG" if you will would have to be "Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer" but in a close call my favorite is a bit obscure. It's called "Dominic the Donkey" by Lou Monte. It tells the story of a donkey that assists Santa in delving Christmas gifts in Italy. The tune is both fun and oddly catchy with the silly "hee-haw" sounds in the chorus. Look it up on Youtube if you want a good laugh.

Favorite Parody

Full-disclosure here, I write a new Christmas tune parody each year. However, even though it seems obvious I'd like my own best, I'm going to go with one of the biggies. That would be "Walking 'Round In Women's Underwear" by Bob Rivers. It provides a hilarious spin on "Waling 'Round a Winter Wonderland." An honorable mention goes to "Didn't I get This Last Year?," which also happens to be by Bob Rivers which is a take off the classic "Do You Hear What I Hear?"

Least Favorite Song

While there isn't often a consensus about such things, nearly everyone I know finds the song I mention here to be absolutely terrible. The shocking part is how many times it's been covered by so many different singers. "Last Christmas" by Wham is head and shoulders above the rest as worst holiday song of all time. Sure, we can throw in a few honorable mentions of "Christmas Wrapping" by the Waitresses and Dan Fogelberg's "Same Old Lang Syne" but this one makes even those distastes feel tolerable. It's whiny and annoying from start to finish.